As we indicated in our article on AI applications in Africa, keeping up with the changes in our current fast-paced world where tech solutions are developed by the day and requires formidable structures aimed at leveraging long term objectives and solutions. It's no doubt that AI offers remedies to Africa's most pervasive problems not just in healthcare but also in reducing poverty, elevating inclusion in societies, solutions to food crises, addressing sustainability challenges as well as enhancing the quality of education. Artificial intelligence is crucial in an African setting due to how it democratizes access to pioneering and productivity-boosting innovations that fuel the continent's growth towards sustaining its needs. In the past few years, several governments (as illustrated in our article mentioned above) across Africa have started mobilizing with the aim of promoting the growth of AI in the continent. Having a vibrant AI ecosystem requires integration of precise policies but most importantly, a coming together of progressive lawmakers, global technology partners, governmental institutions and civil society groups.

The Maathai Impact Award encourages and recognizes work by African innovators that show the impactful application of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The award will be presented at the annual Deep Learning Indaba in August 2019. This award reinforces the legacy of Wangari Maathai in acknowledging the capacity of individuals to be a positive force for change: by recognizing ideas and initiatives that demonstrate that each of us, no matter how small, can make a difference. In partnership with Black in AI, the winner will receive a fully-sponsored trip to attend NeurIPS 2019 and the Black in AI workshop, co-located with NeurIPS, in December 2019. The winner will also be invited to speak at the Deep Learning Indaba in Nairobi in August 2019 and receive a cash prize of KES 70,000.

In the field of computer science and information technology, the term artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability to endow machines with an intelligence and problem-solving capability, an analytical reasoning independent of direct control from an external operator – similar to notions of intellect demonstrated by humans and other living beings. The dream of AI dates back many years – intelligent robots appear in the myths of many ancient civilisations, including Greek, Arabic, Egyptian and Chinese. Nowadays, the field of artificial intelligence is more vibrant than ever, and some believe we're on the threshold of discoveries that could change human society irreversibly – for better or for worse. Alexa, Siri and Cortana are obvious examples of the "march of AI" into our everyday lives, but AI is being added to technology all around us. It can be found in television, mobile phones, vacuum cleaners, navigation systems, GPS systems, lawnmowers, video games, chapati makers and cars, as well as services such as Netflix, Amazon, Pandora and Nest.

Later this year, Zipline will bring its fleet of medical delivery drones (read more about them here) to North Carolina to take part in the Federal Aviation Administration's UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP). Zipline will be working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation "to set up a network of medical distribution centers that can use drones to make medical deliveries," which is what Zipline has been doing for several years now in Africa. The FAA is being very careful and methodical with the IPP, because there are a lot of unknowns about how commercial drones can be safely and effectively integrated into a complex, crowded airspace over a crowded, complex country. Zipline is in a unique position to show both North Carolina and the FAA what's possible with drones, since the company is (as far as we know) the only one doing continuous, commercial drone delivery on a national scale. They have more experience than anyone else with things like operational-drone safety, which the FAA is understandably very concerned about, as we reported just last week.

The Oscars are over, so your weekend should be wide open to check out the return of "Cats" to L.A., a revival of Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie," and two very different takes on two very different Mozart works, courtesy of Los Angeles Opera and Pacific Opera Project. Composer Meredith Monk presents a new vocal work, two L.A. Times Critics' Choice dramas give their final performances, and Los Angeles Ballet, Trinity Irish Dance and Martha Graham Dance Company all perform. If you know those lines, you know "Cats." Based on poems by T.S. Eliot, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony-winning musical is back with new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler ("Hamilton"). The law of un-Nintendo'd consequences will be in full effect as Pacific Opera Project opens its season with "The Magic Flute."

Seven Israeli and Israeli-founded companies were among over 400 firms featured by US business magazine Fast Company on its annual "World's Most Innovative Companies" for 2019. The monthly publication's editors and writers said they sought out groundbreaking businesses across 35 industries in every world region, listing the top 10 in 41 categories such as AI, Biotech, Branding, Health, Robotics, Food, Security, and Middle East, for a total of 410 organizations. Fast Company also released its annual "50 Most Innovative Companies" but no Israeli firms made that list. In 2018, Israeli-founded navigational app Waze was featured in the top 50 alongside giants such as Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify, and Israel had its own category with 10 top startups. An additional 5 Israeli companies and startups were featured in other categories.

Israel is a country full of history, which is why they have more museums per capita than any other country. They also have the oldest continuously used cemetery in the world and the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Hearing that, you'd think that not a whole lot has changed over the years, but one thing that has constantly been evolving is their ability to innovate and be productive. Next to the U.S. and Canada, Israel has the largest number of publicly traded companies, which shows that they can also build successful businesses. Our recent article on "The Top-10 Biggest Startups in Israel by Funding" proved to be quite popular so we decided to do another article on the top 10 Israeli artificial intelligence (AI) startups.

From smart factories and smart cities to virtual personal assistants and self-driving cars, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming how people around the world live, work, and play. But fundamentally changing the ways people, devices, and data interact is not simple or easy work. Microsoft's AI & IoT Insider Labs was created to help all types of organizations accelerate their digital transformation. Member organizations around the world get access to support both technology development and product commercialization, for everything from hardware design to manufacturing to building applications and turning data into insights using machine learning. Here's how AI & IoT Insider Labs is helping one partner, SunCulture, leverage new technology to provide solar-powered water pumping and irrigation systems for smallholder farmers in Kenya.

The benefits of artificial intelligence are no longer limited to high-profile corporations, movie supervillains, and programmers performing fruitless experiments. What was once science fiction has now finally become reality, and when paired with blockchain technology it is no surprise that AI is making leaps and bounds. But the question that always comes to mind when a new technology comes to light is "Can I make money on it?" When looking at blockchain technology infused with artificial intelligence, the answer could be positive indeed! You've probably heard about world chess champions losing to computers, or perhaps you're familiar with self-driving cars -- both of these examples are fueled by artificial intelligence.

Having a sense of self lies at the heart of what it means to be human. Without it, we couldn't navigate, interact, empathise or ultimately survive in an ever-changing, complex world of others. We need a sense of self when we are taking action, but also when we are anticipating the consequences of potential actions, by ourselves or others. Given that we want to incorporate robots into our social world, it's no wonder that creating a sense of self in artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the ultimate goals for researchers in the field. If these machines are to be our carers or companions, they must inevitably have an ability to put themselves in our shoes.